I first met Dominion Energy CEO Bob Blue at a shipping terminal in Norfolk, Virginia.
We stood two years ago at the site that would one day support Dominion's buildout of the first commercial-scale offshore wind project in the U.S.
Since then, Siemens Gamesa, the turbine manufacturer plagued by a billion-dollar quality control flop, has pulled out of that project. And Dominion's Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind farm is one of only a few to survive (so far) the rough seas facing the nascent industry.
Offshore wind's future, while at times feeling bleak, got me thinking about the evolving role of investor-owned utilities in the energy transition. To be sure, utilities aren't seen as bastions of innovation, and are often criticized for slow-walking the fight against climate change. But maybe no other entity is equipped to shoulder the risk of incubating the raft of emerging technologies we desperately need for decarbonization.
Blue joined Episode 69 of the Factor This! podcast to break down Dominion's own ambitious carbon reduction plan, offshore wind's turbulent waters, and why the utility is leaning in on long-duration battery tech.
Watch the full episode on YouTube
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